Clash of the Connoisseurs! (Japanese: ポケモンソムリエ対決！テイスティングバトル！！Pokémon Sommelier Showdown! Tasting Battle!!) is the 80th episode of the Best Wishes series, and the 737th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on May 24, 2012 and in the United States on September 22, 2012.

Contents

Blurb

As they’re making plans to head to Opelucid City for Ash’s next Gym battle, our heroes learn from Nurse Joy that the Gym is closed! While they’re wondering what to do next, a limousine pulls up and a rather imposing man emerges, asking for Cilan. When Cilan introduces himself, he is quite forcefully “invited” to the home of a wealthy man named Mr. Hatterly—and Ash, Iris, and Cilan are all thrown into the limo to make the trip!

Mr. Hatterly has decided that it’s time for his young daughter Marigold to have her first Pokémon, and he’s enlisted the aid of two A-class Connoisseurs: Cilan and Ricard Nouveau. Mr. Hatterly wants them to pit their expertise against each other to decide which Pokémon is best for Marigold, and the Connoisseur competition begins...

...and is quickly crashed by Cilan’s rival Burgundy, who’s disguised herself as an S-class Connoisseur, the best of the best! But after “Fauxgundy” makes a bad guess about which Pokémon is Marigold’s favorite, Cilan and Ricard quickly unmask her and send her on her way.

Ricard thinks Petilil is the perfect match for the little girl, and her father agrees—but Cilan is convinced that Marigold has already bonded with one of the other Pokémon who live in her father’s garden, and he puts his sharp nose to work figuring out which one. Mr. Hatterly suggests they have a battle to settle their disagreement, and whoever wins gets to make the decision.

Cilan’s Crustle defeats Ricard’s Purrloin, and Cilan reveals his choice: with some help from Ash and Iris, he’s tracked down Marigold’s friend Foongus! She’s utterly delighted with the decision, and Cilan is declared the winner of the Connoisseur competition.

Mr. Hatterly’s butler recommends that our heroes head to Virbank City for Ash’s next Gym battle. Cilan excitedly seconds that suggestion, and they’re off!

Plot

After Ash’s victory in the Icirrus City Gym, he and his friends are about to get on their way to Opelucid City and Ash’s final Gym battle. Just as they leave the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy appears and asks if they’re going to the Opelucid Gym. The note in her hand says that the Opelucid Gym has been closed, much to Ash’s dismay. Iris expresses joy at the news, which baffles Ash. Suddenly, a luxury limousine rolls up behind them and a man with a red suit and ponytail steps out. He asks Ash if he is "the A-class ConnoisseurCilan," Iris points out the real Cilan. The man picks up Cilan like a child and throws him in the back of the limo, saying that he has an invitation from someone named Mr. Hatterly. Cilan holds his bumped head as his friends protest this abuse, but the man says that they are all invited and throws them in as well. The man explains that Mr. Hatterly, a "very prominent citizen" from Stonesthrow Town, has requested a skilled Pokémon Connoisseur and sought Cilan as his first pick. On their arrival, they confront, once again, Burgundy who is banging on the entrance gate and demanding entry. The man in the limo explains that she access denied because of her C-class rating, much to her outrage.

Mr. Hatterly's butler enters a dark room with Cilan and his friends. Spotlights turn on and illuminate Cilan and a man in flashy clothing. The butler introduces him as Ricard Nouveau, another A-class Pokémon Connoisseur. Ricard details the significance of being an A-class Connoisseur as he walks over to and greets Cilan. As they exchange hands, Ricard says that he has heard of Cilan’s skill, but sniffs his hand and reveals that he "reeks of inexperience." The butler introduces Mr. Hatterly, who is the father of the girl named Marigold. Marigold bows and coyly escapes behind her father. Mr. Hatterly has the curtains be opened in full, allowing the gardens outside to be seen. Ash and Iris run outside and see a Petilil and a Whimsicott, each of which Ash scans on his Pokédex. Mr. Hatterly begins to say that it is almost time for his daughter to have her first Pokémon, one that is as exceptional as she is. This is why he has invited the two Connoisseurs: to pick out the perfect first partner for Marigold. Ricard has no problem with this, but Cilan reminds him that a Pokémon Connoisseur’s job is to "choose, raise, and recommend a Pokémon’s moves" and that they must first get to know the client, Marigold. Cilan asks her what Pokémon she plays with in the garden, but she turns away and hides behind her father out of fear, but Cilan catches a scent from her as she does so. Mr. Hatterly says that Marigold is friends with all the Pokémon.

Suddenly a rustling bush appears and reveals an elderly man. The man reacts in contempt and announces himself as Fauxgundy, the "legendary S-class Pokémon Connoisseur." He holds up a badge as proof of his superior rank. Mr. Hatterly and the butler both apologize, but Cilan finds something strange. Fauxgundy walks over to Marigold to show them all how he would do it. Fauxgundy begins to sniff Marigold all over, which freaks her out. He ignores him and begins to sniff the Pokémon in the garden, reviewing Petilil, Whimsicott, Sewaddle, Deerling, and Blitzle before settling on a Lillipup. He brings it over and claims that Lillipup is Marigold’s favorite Pokémon because it smells like her shampoo. But Mr. Hatterly explain that he had used Marigold’s shampoo on Lillipup. Lillipup snatches Fauxgundy’s badge just as Cilan asks to see it again, and Lillipup begins to lick the badge, revealing that the S-class mark was just a sticker covering a C-class mark and the Fauxgundy turns out to be Burgundy. The butler wastes no time in removing her from the premises.

Ricard says that Marigold needs a Pokémon as lovely, stylish, and graceful as her. He walks through the garden, observing all the aforementioned Pokémon, as well as Swanna, a female Frillish, Minccino, and Patrat. Ricard picks up Petilil and decides that the Grass-type would suit Marigold perfectly, but Marigold is uneasy about this choice. Mr. Hatterly asks Cilan if he agrees, but he says that neither it nor Lillipup is a match for Marigold, to her apparent relief. The two Connoisseurs begin to argue, but they accept Mr. Hatterly’s suggestion to decide this with a Pokémon battle.

Cilan stands at one end of a battlefield on the estate grounds and thinks deeply about the scent he smelled earlier. He relates it to a sprawling meadow with a gentle breeze and deducts that it must have come from a Grass Pokémon. Using his nose as his guide, he finds the swing set and discovers a powder on one of the seats. Ash and Iris approach and remind him that his battle is about to start.

Before the two Connoisseurs begin to battle, Mr. Hatterly thinks that Petilil is great for his daughter, so Ricard should win. In the bushes, a persistent Burgundy observes the high-ranking standoff. On the battlefield, the butler acts as referee and officially begins the one-on-one battle between Ricard and Cilan. Ricard chooses his prize Pokémon Purrloin, much to Cilan's fear. He then chooses his Crustle, but Ricard says that the Bug/Rock-type advantage over Purrloin is something a C-class would do, which infuriates Burgundy. Cilan makes the first move with X-Scissor, but Purrloin easily dodges, surprising Cilan with its speed. Ricard explains that his Pokémon’s speed and power is even greater than its evolved form, Liepard. Purrloin uses Sand-Attack right at Crustle’s eyes and then Fury Swipes on its head.

While Ricard criticizes Cilan’s battle style as boring and predictable, Ash and Iris snoop around the gardens, looking for something. Cilan responds to Ricard accordingly and calls for Shell Smash. Purrloin flies at Crustle with a Night Slash prepared, but Crustle vanishes into thin air. With its now-incredible speed, Crustle has evaded the attack and ended up facing Purrloin’s backside. Cilan seizes the opportunity and orders Rock Wrecker, which hits Purrloin with force (it also smacks Burgundy, who was hiding the in the bush to watch battling, blasting her away from the estate).

With Purrloin defeated by a single blow, Cilan wins the battle and the choice of Marigold’s first Pokémon. Cilan says that her starter Pokémon should match her unique character, not her style and grace. He goes on to theorize that she has already made a strong connection with one Pokémon in particular. He reveals to Marigold what he recommends, Foongus. Marigold runs over to it and they embrace each other lovingly. Cilan supports his theory with the scent he picked up, which was indeed that of a Grass-type Pokémon, but also had properties of a Poison-type. Marigold tells the story of how Foongus came to her one day as she was sitting on the swing set alone. Foongus joyfully joined her on the seat and pushed them by expelling powder, which filled the area as the two swung and had fun. She never told him because she thought that he wouldn’t approve. He goes over and assures her that he would be happy with any Pokémon she chose, and father and daughter hug.

Marigold thanks Cilan for helping her and promises to take care of Foongus as she becomes a Trainer and goes off on her own journey. The butler states Virbank City’s Gym would be great idea for the Badge. Ash and his friends are driven out of the estate by limo and plan to go down the river to their next stop, Virbank City, where Ash’s eighth Unova Gym badge awaits.